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Omagh schools decision to end academic selection welcomed

Sinn Féin Education Spokesperson Chris Hazzard has welcomed the
decision by the Edmund Rice Schools, Loreto Convent and CBS Omagh to stop
academic selection as criteria for school entrance.

Mr Hazzard said,

“These two schools are the latest to realise that academic
selection has been made redundant by the fact that all schools now follow the
same curriculum and that testing at eleven is damaging to children.

“The Board of Governors have decided to phase out the
unjustifiable use of unregulated entrance exams and this has to be
welcomed.

“I think that the argument of testing children at ten and
eleven has long been proven to be detrimental to the educational development of
our young people and should cease immediately.

“Moving away from selection at eleven will bring equality into
the classroom and allow all of our children the opportunity to achieve their
maximum potential.

“We
only need to glance at the long list of high achieving systems worldwide to see
the fruits of giving all our children fair opportunity so I would call on other
grammar schools to follow the lead shown by these school and drop selection as
a means of entrance criteria."